Liu Chi Kung, who placed second to Van Cliburn in the 1958 Tchaikovsky competition, was imprisoned a year later during the Cultural Revolution in China.

During the entire seven years he was held, he was denied the use of a piano. Soon after his release, however, he was back on tour. Critics wrote in astonishment that his musicianship was better than ever.

"How did you do this?" a critic asked. "You had no chance to practice for seven years."

"I did practice," Liu replied, "every day. I rehearsed every piece I had ever played, note by note, in my mind."  Liu knew that he must stay ready. He would not always be in prison. He wanted to be prepared in case there ever was another performance.